Safety recommendation
HSIB recommends that NHS England develops and promotes a minimum expected service specification for specialist palliative care in England to clarify the minimum services a person can expect to be available to them no matter where they live.
Response:
As stated in the Health and Care Act 2022, palliative and end of life care is commissioned by Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in response to the needs of their local population. Consequently, some degree of variability is expected in order to effectively respond to differing population needs. However, there are a number of resources available to guide and support commissioners and providers in understanding and achieving high-quality palliative and end of life care. These resources were listed by NHS England in their response, alongside published palliative and end of life care service specifications for children and young people and adults.
Updated response:
ICB engagement is recognised as a key focus area and ongoing work is underway over the next 18 months. A variety of resources are available to commissioners on the FutureNHS Collaboration Platform, including a Commissioning and Investment Framework. This seeks to support local clarity on services available and the likely providers.
Response received on 6 October 2023 and updated on 26 July 2024.